Table of Contents for Bog Goldenrod (Solidago uliginosa)
Bog Goldenrod (Solidago uliginosa) is a herbaceous perennial that is native to the eastern United States and Canada. This species is a host to the baltimore checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton) and several moths. Growing from 1 foot to 5 feet tall, this species grows in wetland areas such as bogs, swamps, and wet ditches. The yellow flowers bloom from August to September and the plant is hardy in zones 3-8.
Taxonomy and Naming of Bog Goldenrod (Solidago uliginosa)
Taxonomy
Bog Goldenrod (Solidago uliginosa) was originally named and described by Thomas Nuttall, an American botanist in 1834. It has kept this same name since and is a member of the Aster Family (Asteraceae).
Meaning of the Scientific and Common Names
Scientific Name
The genus name, Solidago, derives from the Latin words, Solidus and ago, which together mean to make (ago) whole (Solidus). This meaning comes from the medicinal uses of the plant. The species name, uliginosa, is a Latin for ‘marshy”, describing the habitat of the species.
Common Name and Alternative Names
The common name comes from the habitat of the species. Some other common names include marsh goldenrod (DiPinto, et al 1988) and swamp goldenrod (Graber and Graber 1976).
Physical Description
- Plant Type: This plant is a herbaceous perennial.
- Height: 1 ft (0.3 m) to 6.5 ft (1.5 m)
- Stem: The stems are erect, and glabrous (lower) and hairy above (Flora of North America).
- Leaves: The leaves are alternate, with basal and cauline leaves, oblanceolate, with upper leaves cauline leaves sessile and subentire to serrate margins. They are 4 in (10.2 cm) to 14 in (36 cm) long and 0.2 in (0.5 cm) to 2.4 in (6 cm) wide. The leaves are smooth (Midwest National Technical Center 1997).
- Flower color: yellow
- Blooming period: This plant blooms from August to September.
- Fruiting type and period: This plant has achenes that mature in the late fall and winter.
Range of Bog Goldenrod in the United States and Canada
This goldenrod species is native to the eastern United States and Canada. It is considered to be rare in the states of Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. It is also rare in the province of Manitoba in Canada.
Habitat
This species grows in wetland areas such as bogs, marshes, and wet woods (Flora of North America), swampy meadows (Steyermark and Swink 1959), heath lands (Erskine 1960), scrub swamps (Bouchard and Hay 1976), damp ditches and roadsides (Skelton and Skelton 1991), and swamps (Angelo 2014).
Hosted Insects
This goldenrod, like a lot of other goldenrods, is a host to the wavy-lined emerald (Synchlora aerata). The genus in general is a host to the Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton) and black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes). A leaf-roller (Depressaria pulvipenella) lives in the rolled leaves of this species (Coquillett 1883).
Other Supported Wildlife
This species is a nectar source to other butterflies, skippers, bees, especially Andrena bees, and wasps during the growing season. It is especially important since it provides a nectar source in the late season. Birds eat the seeds in the fall and winter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this plant have any ethnobotanical uses?
The Native American Ethobotanical Database notes that this species has been used for skin diseases.
How is this plant distinguished from other Goldenrods?
This goldenrod is similar to the showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) and Mt. Albert goldenrod (Solidago simplex subsp. randii), but is separated from both by the fact that it grows in wetlands (House 1918).
Is this plant invasive?
This has not been noted as being weedy.
Gardening with Bog Goldenrod
Hardiness
This species is hardy in zones 3-8. If your garden is within these zones and you have the right growing conditions (soil, moisture and exposure), you may well be able to grow this plant. However, if planted outside of its range, the hosted species may not recognize the plant or be harmed by ingesting a different species with an unfamiliar chemical composition.
Optimal Conditions
This species enjoys full sun to part-shade in moist to wet soils.
References
- Angelo, Ray. 2014. Review of claims of species loss in the flora of Concord, Massachusetts, attributed to climate change. Phytoneuron 2014-84: 1-48.
- Bouchard, Andre and S. Hay. 1976. The Vascular Flora of the Gros-Morne National Park Coastal Plain in Newfoundland Canada. Rhodora 78: 207-260.
- DiPinto, Mary Ann, Robert McCollum, and Jane Steven. Guide to inland vegetated wetlands in Massachusetts. (Boston, MA: MA Department of Environmental Quality Engineering).
- Erskine, D.S. 1960. The Plants of Prince Edward Island. (Ottawa, ON: Plant Research Institute).
- Graber, Jean W. and Richard R. Graber. 1976. Environmental evaluations using birds and their habitats. (Urbana, IL: State of Illinois Department of Registration and Education.
- House, Homer D. 1918. Wild flowers of New York. (Albany, NY: University of the State of New York).
- Midwest National Technical Center. 1997. Midwestern wetland flora field office guide to plant species. (Lincoln, NE: USDA-Soil Conservation Service).
- Skelton, Eleanor G. and Emerson W. Skelton. 1991. Haliburton Flora: an annotated list of the vascular plants of the County of Haliburton, Ontario. (Toronto, ON: Royal Ontario Museum).
- Steyermark, Julian A. and Floyd A. Swink. 1959. Plants new to Illinois and to the Chicago Region. Rhodora 61: 24-27.
